Mark Masons present Red Marsh School with a defibrillator
 
It was back to school for several members of West Lancashire Mark Masons as Assistant Provincial Grand Master Giles Berkley accompanied by his wife Sandra and several of his colleagues made the trip to Red Marsh School in Thornton Cleveleys with a pleasant task to perform.
Giles, watched by the other visitors and the assembled pupils
presents Catherine with the defibrillator.
Giles and Special Representative John Forster, Mark’s Corinthian Charity Chairman Mike Casey, his deputy Bob Boal, Jimmy Rogers with Geraldene his other half, were welcomed by Red Marsh School’s head teacher Catherine Dellow, her staff and pupils for a special presentation.
Catherine Dellow leads the applause for Giles, the school’s ‘Star of the Week’
The Mark Masons were at Red Marsh as they had heard that the school was in dire need of a very important piece of  equipment - an Automated External Defibrillator.
 
Jimmy Rogers had heard through colleagues in the several Mark and RAM lodges of which he is a secretary that the school, which teaches 90 children aged between 2 and 19 years with severe learning difficulties, had on several occasions because they did not have their own defibrillator, to borrow one from neighbouring Great Arley School.
 
As a result Cleveleys Mark Lodge No 1176, Wyre Mark Lodge No 754 and Semper Fidelis RAM Lodge No 880 decided to club together to ring-fence funds to purchase a defibrillator. John Sarti and the Mark Charity Fund very kindly arranged to make up any shortfall in funding and to order the required defibrillator for the school.
 
Head teacher Catherine Dellow greeted Giles and the other visitors and they were given a guided tour of Red Marsh School.
 
Catherine explained that her pupils enjoyed the same curriculum as any school tailored to the pupils’ needs and that the school was delighted to be the recipient of an Outstanding OFSTED report.
 
She said that the school’s vision of Learn, Care, Challenge and Share is at the heart of everything the pupils strive to achieve.
 
She said that the school’s vision of Learn, Care, Challenge and Share is at the heart of everything the pupils strive to achieve.
 
At assembly at the end of the day the visitors’ gift to the school was warmly received to great cheers by the pupils as Giles presented the defibrillator to Catherine. Giles, as he wished the school every success for the future, thanked Catherine and Red Marsh School for a very interesting and memorable day.
 
Words and pictures by Bob Boal